CLEO Tries: Matte Lipsticks That Will Last Through Parties

Because ain't nobody got time to touch up.

When you’re having the time of your life at a party, do you really have time to touch up your lipstick when you’re busy downing shots and dancing the night away? Probably not. Which is why you need a matte lipstick that will last longer than that party. The CLEO team tried a few matte lipsticks so you can pick the right one.

I absolutely love it. The texture is powdery, so it doesn’t glide on as easily, but I love the very matte finish. It doesn’t feels dry on the lips or flake throughout the day. Also, I’m super impressed by the longevity—it stayed on through my lunch and dinner! This cool tone pink shade is pretty intense and bright, but the matte finish actually tones it down so it doesn’t look so OTT on me.

Aminah, Intern

Chanel Rogue Allure Liquid Powder in 954

This colour is perfect for the girl on-the-go looking for a ‘my lips but better’ shade. Don’t be fooled by the bold packaging—the lippie leaves a light blush shade that’s easy to match with any look. The matte texture gives your lips a plush velvety finish, but also keeps them hydrated all day long. Like any other lipstick, oils from food will break it down, so don’t eat pizza with this on. This shade fades evenly, but don’t fret about rushing to the washroom to touch up because the cushion applicator makes it so easy to use that you don’t even need a mirror.

Hidayah, Associate Digital Editor

Hera Rouge Holic Matte in 155 Rote Rosa

I love the colour, which instantly brightens up my face although I only had tinted moisturiser on. If you don’t like lipsticks that are super matte, you’d love this lippie, which gives a satin matte finish. It’s also very moisturising, so there was no flakiness during and after application. I took the ‘after’ photo after two meals—mee goreng for breakfast and a burger for lunch. The middle part faded, leaving an outline. It's not as budge-proof as some people would like it to be, but given its formula, I wouldn’t actually mind re-applying because it doesn’t flake when you touch-up, unlike some matte formulas.

Li Ling, Marketing Executive

Mamonde Highlight Lip Tint Matte in 01 Pink Ade

This lip tint is quite easy to apply. The formula is super creamy, the colour is super pigmented, and it can be blended easily too! As a matte tint, I love that it is not too drying on my lips and it did not settle into my lip lines (my lips did not crack which is a good thing!). However, the colour did not last as long as I would like it to. It is definitely not transfer-proof and most of the colour was gone after my lunch (that was like about five hours from when I first applied). But I love the sweet scent!

Sophie, Associate Editor

L’Oréal Infallible Pro Matte Liquid Lipstick in Truffamania

I put this on in the morning, and this lipstick lasted through a cup of coffee, a few glasses of water, and a cheeseburger at lunch. There was a bit of transfer, but the colour remained on my lips at 5pm even without any touch-ups. Consider me impressed!

Reena, Marketing Executive

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Lipstick in shade #117 Groundbreaker

I'm not a big fan of loud colours but this new one from the Ink City Edition range looks quite nice on my skin tone. It dries quickly so it's best not to apply too much product at one go, or it might end up looking really thick. It's highly pigmented and stayed put through my breakfast and lunch, albeit with some fallout.

Smita, Beauty Editor

YSL Beauty Rouge Pur Couture Le Slim in 08

I love the luxe, square shape of the bullet, but more than that, I like how the matte texture doesn’t dry out my lips even though I didn’t apply any lip balm (something I usually do before I wear matte lipsticks because I have very dry lips). The colour is bright and gorgeous on my skin tone and only faded a bit after I had a whole bowl of ramen. I’m not opposed to reapplying it in public tbh because the bullet is gorgeous.